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For the first time in our lives we are in the process of buying a very small farm in FL We can have chickens and whatever else we want. However if you have read my other posts you know my husband has early signs of Dementia. He has an apt Monday with a alz/dementia specialist. I am going to ask him if it is wise to move my husband now. He loves FL and we have been going there for 48 years. I think it would feel like home to him. Before I ask the specialist, I am asking you all. Would you take your husband, mother ,etc. to another place to live and he is very familiar with the area and we have had tons of fun in the past years. Also I figure FL can better take care of him if I need them. We are Boomers. Please give me some input and related stories.
My SIL at 68 was diagnosed with frontal and mid lobe dementia a few months ago. Doctor said it has been progressing for the past 10 years, and is getting rapidly worse. She also gets very violent.
They own homes both in NY and Florida. My BIL, who is still working, does not want to chance ever going back to Florida with her in airports, planes, rental cars, etc. He has very good insurance through his job in NY, children still in NY, and far more treatment options in NYC than there ever could be in Florida.
I suppose it is up to individual circumstances and where you currently live. I know it is very sad and frustrating for family. My SIL today is not the same woman she was even 10 years ago. Her personality has done a complete 360 degree change.
Do what is best for you and your loved one. My sympathies for you and family.
Make the move if you will have better resources and be happy in FL. I learned alot about dementia during the past 10 years of my mother's life. If you are planning on living with him daily as long as possible and you both wanted to move to Florida, go ahead and move there. It would be a great idea if wherever you live, however, there is good nearby access to any support services you'll need over time.
Subject to what the specialist says since he's in the early stages moving might be OK. As I understand it (and I'm no expert), moving a patient in the later stages is not a good idea. You will need a good support system friends/family and medical services. For example, there will come a time where he can't be left alone and won't always be able to accompany you. Will you have that in FL?
Something else to consider is where the farm is located. If it's out in the country eventually doctors appointments etc will increase and that will be a lot of driving and time spent in the car. Even a small farm will be a lot of work and caring for someone with Alzheimer's is a lot of work. Will you be able to handle both (or pay for any help needed)?
Finally at some point you will probably want to move. Is this farm in an area with good resale so you could sell when you needed to?
Thank you all. Yes, it is a short drive to a major hosp in FL. He needs nephrologist, cardiologist, family doc and now probably another one. He is been his old self for the past couple of days then I think there is nothing wrong with him. Monday will tell. Bless you all. P.S. Kidneys are holding good, heart is good but pretty soon they need to change his battery. He had 2 iron infusions last week but I see really no improvement in his energy, maybe it's too soon. Thanks again.
We just got back from the memory specialist visit. He put my husband on Aricept and something else to help him sleep. He said STOP the amyltriptaline. That could make him have Dementia like symptoms. Put him on Trazadone (spelling)for sleep instead. I am melting down right now! Is anyone here on Aricept or Trazadone? Help..........;-(
A lot of the prescription sleep medicines have been found to increase the risk of dementia/alzheimer's. Amitriptyline is included in the article on the study showing risk of dementia.
Quote:
A new study provides the strongest evidence that anticholinergic drugs may increase the risk for dementia in older adults.
The drugs implicated are commonly used, estimated to be taken by about 20% of the older adult population for many conditions. They include popular antihistamines sold over the counter as sleep aids, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, McNeil-PPC Inc), or for allergy relief, such as chlorpheniramine; oxybutynin and tolterodine for overactive bladder; and the tricyclic antidepressants, such as doxepin or amitriptyline, even when used at low doses for migraine prevention or neuropathic pain.
The memory specialist went down the list of his meds and asked him if he had a pacemaker and he does. The pacemaker is for Afib which it has been a long time since he felt like he had one. SO now,,my DH has heart disease, kidney disease, chronic severe pain, and now vascular disease. Which one will get him first ? The doc said it would probably be his heart....just another day not being in paradise.
So sorry to read about your husband's dementia. BUT I wanted to tell you that my husband's cognition improved greatly when he stopped all allergy meds and that worthless prostate medicine. It only took about 10 days to begin seeing improvement and now he's pretty much normal! So Best Wishes for a similar result for the two of you!
My husband began to have similar problems after taking allergy and prostate meds. But he improved back to normal when he quit them all. Hope you two have similar results!
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